Author: gstc

Valentine’s day is right around the corner, and many of us are still struggling to come up with a new great idea to celebrate the event. There is nothing wrong with reusing a great idea, and doing so may even add to a sense of renewal or tradition. Sometimes, a gift is all about trying…

Dear Garden State Trust: Yikes! What happened to the stock market last fall? Should I be getting out of the market now? —Dizzy and worried Dear Dizzy: The economy remains sound. The labor market is strong, unemployment is low, retail sales were generally up during the holiday season. We may have had GDP growth of…

As the holidays wind down, many of us are already starting to look back with fondness at family traveling long distances to see and bond with one another. We may not all look forward to getting on an airplane, or car, or train, but we generally look forward to what’s at the end of that…

Dear Garden State Trust: I bought shares in a mutual fund last summer and now I’m getting a distribution of capital gains from the fund. Why? I don’t want that. Do I have to pay taxes on it? —Buyer and Holder Dear Buyer: Federal law requires mutual funds to distribute nearly all of their realized…

Holiday spending: It could be a new record! Why does the holiday spending season start after Thanksgiving, and why is it called Black Friday? Is it because: A. There was a market crash in gold in 1869 that cause financial distress to many. B. There was generally chaos in the streets of Philadelphia in the…

Dear Garden State Trust: I’ve heard of something called a “charitable IRA rollover.” What is that? —Generous But Prudent Dear Generous: Those who are older than 70½ are permitted to arrange for a tax-free transfer of up to $100,000 per year from their IRA to the charity of their choice. This is the technique you…

Lotteries have grown in popularity in recent years, as jackpots have grown in size. In October, the multistate Mega Millions jackpot grew to more than $1.5 billion if taken as annuity payments, and the largest jackpot on record won with a single ticket. Lotteries are seen by some as the shortcut to financial security, even…

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Garden State offers a variety of trust administration and investment services to help you plan for your family’s future. Garden State Trust Company is a trust service office of Midwest Trust Company, a Kansas non-depository trust company regulated and examined by the Office of the State Banking Commissioner of Kansas.